Grey scale electromechanical systems display device

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for an electromechanical systems display device. In one aspect, a grey scale electromechanical systems display device may include a reflector assembly disposed on a support dielectric layer, a substrate, and an absorber assembly. The absorber assembly may include a metal layer. The absorber assembly may be configured to move to a first position defining a first cavity between the absorber assembly and the substrate such that the device reflects a white light. The absorber assembly also may be configured to move to a second position defining a second cavity between the absorber assembly and the reflector assembly such that the device substantially does not reflect light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a reflector assembly disposed on a support dielectric layer;   a substrate; and   an absorber assembly, the absorber assembly including a metal layer, the absorber assembly being configured to move to a first position defining a first cavity between the absorber assembly and the substrate such that the device reflects a white light, and the absorber assembly being configured to move to a second position defining a second cavity between the absorber assembly and the reflector assembly such that the device substantially does not reflect light.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reflector assembly includes:
 a reflective metal layer disposed on a surface of the support dielectric layer facing the absorber assembly;   a first dielectric layer having a first refractive index disposed on the reflective metal layer; and   a second dielectric layer having a second refractive index disposed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the first dielectric layer and a thickness of the second dielectric layer are configured to modify a spatial dispersion of first nulls of standing waves such that a small amount of visible light absorption is achieved when the absorber layer is at the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the absorber assembly further includes a first dielectric layer having a first refractive index disposed on a surface of the metal layer facing the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a second dielectric layer having a second refractive index disposed on a surface of the substrate facing the absorber assembly, and wherein the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the absorber assembly further includes a passivation layer disposed on a surface of the metal layer facing the reflector assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein when the absorber assembly is in the first position, substantially an entire area of a first surface of the absorber assembly is in contact with the reflector assembly, and wherein when the absorber assembly is in the second position, substantially an entire area of a second surface of the absorber assembly is in contact with the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the absorber assembly is configured to move to the first position, wherein a second portion of the absorber assembly is configured to move to the second position, and wherein the device reflects a percentage of light between the white light and substantially not reflecting light when the first portion of the absorber assembly is in the first position and the second portion of the absorber assembly is in the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one of a red filter, a green filter, and a blue filter disposed on the substrate, wherein the device is configured to reflect red light when the device includes the red filter, wherein the device is configured to reflect green light when the device includes the green filter, and wherein the device is configured to reflect blue light when the device includes the blue filter.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transparent segmented electrode disposed on a surface of the substrate facing the absorber assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first cavity and the second cavity each have a thickness of about 80 nanometers to 140 nanometers. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a display, the display including the device of  claim 1 ;   a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and   a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display; and   a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first device, a second device, and a third device, each device including a substrate and further including:
 a reflector assembly disposed on a support dielectric layer; and 
 an absorber assembly, the absorber assembly including a metal layer, the absorber assembly being configured to move to a first position defining a first cavity between the absorber assembly and the substrate such that the device reflects a white light, and the absorber assembly being configured to move to a second position defining a second cavity between the absorber assembly and the reflector assembly such that the device substantially does not reflect light; 
   a red filter disposed on the substrate and associated with the first device;   a green filter disposed on the substrate and associated with the second device; and   a blue filter disposed on the substrate and associated with the third device.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a fourth device, the fourth device including the substrate and further including:
 a reflector assembly disposed on a support dielectric layer; and 
 an absorber assembly, the absorber assembly including a metal layer, the absorber assembly being configured to move to a first position defining a first cavity between the absorber assembly and the substrate such that the device reflects a white light, and the absorber assembly being configured to move to a second position defining a second cavity between the absorber assembly and the reflector assembly such that the device substantially does not reflect light. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein for each device, a first portion of the absorber assembly is configured to move to the first position, wherein a second portion of the absorber assembly is configured to move to the second position, and wherein the device reflects a percentage of light between the white light and substantially not reflecting light when the first portion of the absorber assembly is in the first position and the second portion of the absorber assembly is in the second position. 
     
     
         19 . A device comprising:
 a reflector assembly disposed on a support dielectric layer, the reflector assembly including:
 a reflective metal layer disposed on a surface of the support dielectric layer facing an absorber assembly; 
 a first dielectric layer having a first refractive index disposed on the reflective metal layer; and 
 a second dielectric layer having a second refractive index disposed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the first refractive index is less than the second refractive index; 
   a substrate, the substrate including:
 a third dielectric layer having a third refractive index disposed on a surface of the substrate facing the absorber assembly; and 
   the absorber assembly, the absorber assembly including:
 a metal layer; and 
 a fourth dielectric layer having a fourth refractive index disposed on a surface of the metal layer facing the substrate, wherein the fourth refractive index is less than the third refractive index. 
   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the absorber assembly is configured to move to a first position defining a first cavity between the absorber assembly and the substrate such that the device reflects a white light, and wherein the absorber assembly is configured to move to a second position defining a second cavity between the absorber assembly and the reflector assembly such that the device substantially does not reflect light. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein a first portion of the absorber assembly is configured to move to the first position, wherein a second portion of the absorber assembly is configured to move to the second position, and wherein the device reflects a percentage of light between the white light and substantially not reflecting light when the first portion of the absorber assembly is in the first position and the second portion of the absorber assembly is in the second position. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 at least one of a red filter, a green filter, and a blue filter disposed on the substrate, wherein the device is configured to reflect red light when the device includes the red filter, wherein the device is configured to reflect green light when the device includes the green filter, and wherein the device is configured to reflect blue light when the device includes the blue filter.